Gerald Fender - Pastor
Gerald is originally from Burnsville, North Carolina. He holds a B.A. degree with a major in Bible and a minor in pastoral studies from Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville, Tennessee. He holds a M.A. degree in Bible from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he subsequently has completed two years of doctoral studies in the field of Old Testament Interpretation. He pastored Shady Grove Free Will Baptist Church in Whitesburg, Tennessee. As a home missionary, he founded and established Hardin Valley Free Will Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has served as chairman of the foreign mission board of the Tennessee State Association of Free Will Baptists and as president of the minister’s conference of the Union Association of Free Will Baptists. His first wife, Gail, passed away in 1995. They had three children and he now has six grandchildren. Gerald’s wife, Joy, is a native of Knoxville. She is a graphic designer and is involved in the media ministry at Faith Church.
ABOUT US
Thurman Pate - Associate Pastor
Thurman is originally from Unicoi, Tennessee. He holds a B.A. degree with a major in Bible from Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has served in the ministry for over seventy years. He pastored Faith Free Will Baptist Church for forty-two years, beginning in 1966. He has also pastored Bridges Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, Holston Hills Free Will Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, Crusaders Free Will Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan and Fairview Free Will Baptist Church in Anderson County, Tennessee. He served as treasurer of the Union Association of Free Will Baptists for twenty-seven years. Thurman’s wife, Faustine, is a native of Knoxville. They have three children, seven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Faustine is involved in the children’s ministry at Faith Church.
Deacons: Jeremy Bean, Mayford Mendenhall, Don Miller and Bobby Williams
Trustees: Randy Brown, Mark Lowery, Donnie Miller and Abram Williams
Clerk: Jennifer Bean